Harder to Breathe
by amy88
Summary: Song-fic to Harder to Breathe by Maroon Five. I don't own the Mediator series or the lyrics to the song. Takes place right after Haunted. Suze beats Paul up, woo-hoo! RR


I was just starting to get over the shock that Jesse was kissing me--not that it was a bad thing--when I heard his voice. Paul.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" I couldn't help but shudder slightly. Well, could you blame me? After what his grandfather has just told me, I had more than enough reasons to be afraid of Paul. I felt Jesse's grip tighten around me, and I looked up. His scar was the purest white. Just as he opened his mouth--probably to threaten the monstrosity I knew was behind me--Paul continued. "I seriously cannot believe this. He's DEAD, Suze!" I groaned and turned.

"Are you STILL on that? Yes, he's dead, but why do you think he's still here? MAYBE it's because we're supposed to be together!"

"Suze...it's wrong!" I gaped at him. How could he--Paul Slater--condemn ME? 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ * 

How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable

  
So condescending unnecessarily critical  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Paul-shut up!" I clenched my fists tightly. He had a cast on his nose from last night's party incident, and he was black and blue all over, yet he still pulls this crap on me. Does he have a death wish?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I have the tendency of getting very physical  


So watch your step cause if I do you'll need a miracle  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Just listen, Suze." he said, and I sighed loudly. I was so sick of dealing with him, it was the most exhausting aspect of my life, I decided. It was so clear to me now how much he messes my life up. Everything starts to make sense, and then he comes along screws it all up again. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


You drain me dry and make me wonder why I'm even here  


This double vision I was seeing is finally clear  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"No, Paul, I won't listen. You talk too much. Just leave, Paul, I don't want you here, I never have. Get out of my life."

"I'm not going anywhere, Suze." Jesse twitched angrily. It was apparent he was not going to lie down while this happened. I didn't try to stop him from talking, I just stayed on edge in case he tried to finish what had started last night.

"Yes, you are, Slater. You are not worthy of Susannah's attention."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You want to stay but you know very well I want you gone  


Not fit to funkin' tread the ground that I'm walking on  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
Paul glared. It happened quickly. One second I was in Jesse's arms, my own arms holding him back, and the next, Paul had a hand on my shoulder and we were on our way back to the place I hated more than anything. 

I felt myself hit the ground and immediately I stood up. 

"Paul! You IDIOT! I JUST got over my shifting headache from last night!" I kicked him hard in the side. 

"OH!" he cried out. He muttered profanities, many of them degrading towards me. What the CRAP?

"What are you thinking? You say you love me and then you call me that....Is this how you show love? If so...you're not going to have anyone TO love. And when that happens, you'll understand why Jesse and I are fighting all odds to be together."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love  


You'll understand what I mean when I say  


There's no way we're gonna give up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
"It's not going to happen. I'll be with you." Paul said. I shook my head.

"No you won't. You'll be alone, and as afraid of it as I was of you." As I said this, I took a deep breath. It was hard. In fact, it was hard to just stand up anymore. What's going on? I thought to myself. _Jesse,_ I called, _Why is it so hard to breathe?_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster that lives in her dreams  


Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe  


Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
Paul shook his head. "Nauseous, Suze? Hard to breathe, is it? I told you we'd be together. You will be with me, or you won't be with anyone."

I gaped at him. Seriously, what is WRONG with this guy? Maybe it was the lack of oxygen, but I was extremely confused now. How can I be with him if I'm dead? Actually, if I died, it'd just be easier to be with Jesse. But he knows this! What is going on?

"Paul, no matter what, I will not be with you. And if you kill me, I'll be with Jesse."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


What you are doing is screwing things up inside my head  


You should know better you never listened to a word I said  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm not going to give up, Suze." said Paul with a demonic glint in his eye. I rolled my eyes to the bright stars above us.

"What, you'll think of me every night?" I retorted.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


Clutching your pillow and writhing in a naked sweat  


Hoping somebody someday will do you like I did  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
"Until I have you, yes." Paul replied. 

"Well you never will! You've screwed things up between us, Paul, you're going to go through life with no one to love. You'll hate life, because you've ruined every chance you never had with me." I still couldn't breathe properly. _JESSE! _I called, _Jesse, what is going on? Get Father Dom...Can you hear me? _

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love  


You'll understand what I mean when I say  


There's no way we're gonna give up  


And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster that lives in her dreams  


Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe  


Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
It seemed there was nothing Jesse could do, so I decided to fix this myself. I focused all my remaining energy on just being. A sudden rush of energy hit me. Whoa. I don't know what I did, but Paul looked shocked, as he struggled to take a breath. I remembered his cruel words earlier.

"Nauseous, Paul? Hard to breathe, is it?" I said with a mocking look on my face. I shook my head. "You should've known better. I'm stronger than you."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


Does it kill  


Does it burn  


Is it painful to learn  


That it's me that has all the control  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
"How's it feel?" I asked as I exerted this power over him. "Still want me?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


Does it thrill  


Does it sting  


When you feel what I bring  


And you wish that you had me to hold  


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


Paul nodded slowly, as if it were difficult. I relaxed my shoulders and shook my head.

"Then I guess you always will." 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love  


You'll understand what I mean when I say  


There's no way we're gonna give up  


And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster that lives in her dreams  


Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe  


Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I dropped my concentration. I kept him in check, didn't let him control me, but I didn't hold him down any longer. "I'm returning to our true dimension, Paul. Come or don't, but either way, you're not to reside in Carmel anymore. Stay away from me." And this time, I knew he'd listen. I had conquered him, and he knew it. 


End file.
